TFOM Chapter 126
by SolavitaChapter 126
I gaped at the duke’s bombshell of a statement.a842f17978230e60
‘Just like that, all of a sudden…?’e8d83ac0901a125b
Not once had there been 42c3ba9d8f even a hint of this 55f70c2bb1 while we were preparing for 9f283e8325 Josh’s birthday party.1c9a2523f2b2a3d7
Flustered, I looked e20ae9f466 around with trembling e3c96930aa eyes.
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As expected, the nobles were ca7e9a6a13 all murmuring among themselves.a2191a5527f3a2eb
Until now, the 260501bac3 duke had refrained from publicly commenting 43b90fea1c on Josh’s improved 55e38b4003 health—or on me.45efa09b5472a1c1
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Because of that, I was better known for my work 060be7d60a with salons and treatments for 3f8a53d1e1 contagious skin diseases than for 72a6dff89a my healing powers.63e47f7f7388c71b
Compared to my past life, I had definitely shed the image of being uselessly stuck to the duke’s household…922991d01e4a457c
But the uptight, conservative nobles still liked to put me down by comparing me to 616978de1c Diana.
If you asked whether that made me upset 4db03e107c or dissatisfied—1cb236664013d36f
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‘Not at all.’763f6290fa156156
Thanks to that, I 11b138e37d had the freedom to f71c5dcc6e run my business as 8933848340 I pleased and ended 746fdc147d up becoming filthy rich.
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If I had been 5570f2f35c like Diana, earning money e4720b6f7a through healing by aligning 7904480f42 with the temple, I b0f7db8be7 probably wouldn’t have lasted b29de75ef2 long.
Trying to launch new ventures with nobles who were already 59c41c5447 pouring donations into the temple would definitely have stirred up 6caaa322f4 trouble.7d3b0fd999e258f4
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And even if it worked, 3d67886201 the temple and Marquis Barelotte 41f3ec1a5a would’ve taken everything from me a9e9b87ff8 anyway.
So honestly, I had no 21b2839cfa complaints about being seen as fbce6e71de less capable than Diana.
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“…Therefore, from this moment forward, any attack on Belze will be considered a challenge to Kallios.”8e9a602ad5f82517
But the duke’s sudden declaration—was as shocking as fd4cc5c4f1 a thunderclap, more than enough to completely change 5161dfc5e0 how people saw me.8232058ce3120d39
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What they thought was f75fce5fff just a spare battery bad8feda4f for Diana, meant only ceeccf3b6d to prolong the second son’s life a little 65737768f9 longer—9dd0b5d3436eb201
Was now being declared a d622f64dd1 vital and irreplaceable presence in 3716dab8e6 House Kallios.d457f641802a1d69
I couldn’t believe the 277cd51b03 day had come when 144389579d everyone would realize that.d5f4302ca9da2625
My heart stirred 07326f29ea with anxiety and 7de1ff2fca something else I 5d3c0ea646 couldn’t quite name.e5d91ed57b06ea88
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Once again, I was overwhelmed ced79eed0f by a strange mix of emotions.
Regardless of the crowd’s chatter, bceab6a95f the duke abruptly raised his 3186658983 champagne glass high into the 1019276868 air.7d7231458b5f541f
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“To Joshua’s health and Belze’s hard work.”11b258db1de0b6fe
Then he downed the champagne in 01fbcb5935 one gulp.a566e3fa25d2357c
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“To Kallios!”4723a47823643318
“To Kallios!”
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The nobles, who b768a4b800 had been in a frenzy, eventually cbcfed7c87 followed the duke’s 5c9919b50d lead and began bc496ff4e1 gulping down their 97d5e6772e champagne one after another.dcdd7d1374354b32
“Me too, me too!”6b0e89cd12a8337c
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Watching the adults, Joshua 18520f2595 picked up the glass 8a3ea9b6e6 in front of him ff5a50ad5f and took big gulps.a1a28fd42a733eb0
Thankfully, it wasn’t 8aac4342ab alcohol but sweet 150f3a8b2f grape juice.b73d13061676299b
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As I fumbled for a ff2e001260 handkerchief to wipe the sticky 3c47d6a43b purple liquid smeared all over 40069acdcf Joshua’s smiling mouth—659916cf4a8ab013
“You don’t look pleased, Belze.”d1d5519bad674f18
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Suddenly, a low voice f01ec52ceb spoke from right beside f31aa37d6c me.f326565847dabfb0
“Did my declaration not sit well with you?”
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When I looked bf471d6bed up, the duke, f7e7bc9581 who had just f482c8d281 been greeting the ce0de27bf0 approaching guests, was now looking down a9b0fe150f at me.e68fcedd5e93e830
His face was unreadable, 08f25ce858 but in those golden 6c16182c1b eyes, I could sense a trace of concern 9b5f27914e and warmth directed toward d9c510a2f0 me.a021ae141f6c60ce
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I understood it now.e1b38f1ac4f0f1a2
“Ah, no. It’s not that…”ee812f6b5e46b069
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I quickly shook my af078378a9 head at his question.b417e5ad6b0fee26
‘Not pleased’…?
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That wasn’t it at all.eabec8c746451dcb
It was just—19884279ee7e7df4
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“…Is this really okay?”a295e4a2f9b969f4
I murmured, my voice lacking 7e98d8c8f2 confidence.9a314dc0f1c935f3
At that moment, I could feel not just the 5f2d4f6726 duke’s, but also 2c95b3f85c Edwin’s and Josh’s bf305a0293 gazes turning to d2c2f53200 me all at 2c1f331030 once.
The duke looked puzzled as 49aed6fc8f he asked,
“What is?”09fb566d1bafed6c
Everything.2fd35c8117f658f3
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I struggled to swallow the words that were pushing up my throat.7cdadd3fadf7da6a
The duke’s official declaration 3018312ae8 had come too suddenly—out edc49b428c of nowhere.
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And that made it frightening.b305260c92f87a65
A lot of things had d9279ecbe2 already changed from the original a525d1aa19 story, but now it felt ebb37bab20 like we’d passed a point 6a089a6b63 of no return.f2839708e1697e5b
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I was just a villainess c12589734f fated to be killed off 84464ea1db for getting in the female 5c45110706 lead’s way—was it really okay ecee377e7e for someone like me to 03724aafea be rising in status like b5fc7aa1cd this?58b1a9e85aecf9f4
Could someone who had d6dd4f4a0c committed unforgivable sins against these people in her 2351fe9027 past life really deserve this kind of treatment?
Even though I was f28f336042 happy to be recognized, 2edf96bb03 a part of me 41226df526 was overwhelmed with anxiety 62043d9b1a and fear.d37055b8dcd14292
I was scared 8e60fc1430 I might ruin everything again.665f9fcccf888201
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“Joshua’s recovery wasn’t just because of me. Grandpa Gordon worked really hard too…”8660450ca5ae549d
“…”
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“You’ve already done so much for me…”
“…”27417e64e055f898
“I never really wanted something like this…”
“Belze.”
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I didn’t know what kind of 139d620935 expression I was dedd9648cd supposed to wear.0ec87d3c397c4c00
As I mumbled with shaky eyes, 68bbe3b516 not making much 6178a92e91 sense—90021993a25ec39c
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“Wait. Is this not about 154e6a5015 the adoption? Are you upset about that d63482b4dd instead?”f99ad35362d71b8f
Suddenly, the duke asked an 8a2104d08b even more shocking question than fb7f48c063 before.8602a0cdf82bea23
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I was momentarily dumbfounded.3abe5c60006aa7e5
“…What?”232850d217a9875b
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“Now that I think about it, Marquis Barelotte is in the process of adopting the child he sponsors, isn’t he?”
He was talking about Diana.fb5e714738749830
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The duke stroked his 133dd8f350 chin and continued.fb681bf2082de529
“Actually, I’ve been preparing something too. I was going to surprise d6c4de02a2 you with it today. But then…”
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“Adoption is absolutely out of the question.”4ff8bb1b30da2500
That’s when it happened.
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Out of nowhere, ae66cd9a5a Edwin—who had been 8bb6d51cd7 silent until now—cut 9b0d4df19e off the duke e0fa698e48 and spoke up 762cd6cbdf sharply.2dd6243b0d7e15f7
“You’ve already received a formal statement of opposition from the majority of the elders and vassals, haven’t you? Why are you fac767491e bringing up something 480e28b794 that’s already been settled?”f3ef4b7e9b4a3d8d
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He muttered irritably.250a7ca1a3f09f82
The duke, watching him, gave 638012aad8 a wry smile and shrugged f8478ce5df his shoulders.c424649d8f4f4fbd
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“With opposition that fierce, what can I do?”549b3ae0f0ed025d
“Well, I’m in favor!”724e2e83d6487b79
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Suddenly, Joshua threw his arms 824f394171 around me with a bright b8b3a4ae95 voice.
“I wish you were my real sister!”d0f28241df72b179
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“You don’t get a vote, so keep your mouth shut.”7a95ee1471f6694d
Edwin shot his 7e3b729b94 little brother a 354463bf8a cold glare.
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“Tch.”6e59a858c3897df6
Joshua puffed out his 3603207674 lower lip in a 2d1c1986f4 cute pout.
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I looked back and 7fbf170be7 forth between the two of them, tilting my f7d9cb844b head in confusion.
‘So Edwin doesn’t want me to be officially registered as part of House Kallios?’a20a6c9de4b3556a
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To be fair, it 395bef5fac made sense from his 221730e0ad point of view.c03952a1181bcde8
A commoner orphan who cec8388d1b had only ever been c5268ba49e a hired hand, suddenly 0c9709880a being elevated to equal 7efab75ce5 status overnight?c9d4363d2f158241
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No heir to 7bf15f2ab7 a noble family 707d693296 would be thrilled f9df25d277 about that.bf50b78625aa5c21
Of course, I wasn’t exactly thrilled either.8821f46b1b2c6fa5
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‘Adoption, seriously…’
To think I might end ac5f05a7a8 up being called by the same last name as someone 537527de60 I had feelings for, as f5ee2da65d siblings.2836bf66ddc6dcee
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The thought alone was horrifying.bcb621d5612e4a2e
I shivered and shook my 66dbc85a92 head at the idea—when suddenly, 2d3570f6f3 something struck me.
‘Wait… the duke really was seriously considering adopting me?’12bc72550e080a7b
“My father was preparing for your formal registration as a birthday gift for your upcoming eighteenth.”8a223b98e408e498
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I remembered what Edwin had said 99970717b5 to me before 257c50266b he died.c1f9333b4da619b7
I’d thought it c8e1002451 couldn’t be true—surely 266fb6331f not—but now, hearing 4db30334fe adoption being brought dc8a1634fc up again in 5e103b09f7 this life, a 2b4a0c12d6 wave of emotion 8ad3455eab surged up from 4b46e7401c my chest.a329f567f5a14426
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I didn’t want to become family with them.a390a1483cf873d8
But I wanted to stay 4e0ce63563 by their side forever.312889fcf214b049
In this life, d135102f32 I wanted to 4f942b941e protect them no 294bfcbe05 matter what.45ece7a8b2d2b788
And if I couldn’t do ed007f7315 that—then I’d rather be the 3fd13586fc only one who takes the f4747203aa fall and dies.7d902e067c9195a9
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‘You’re listening, aren’t you, Saint Elea?’8c46a843e58733bd
Do you see what 1daaa5cd50 kind of resolve I’m 5ae2ec1b8a living with, day after 02d7f402b7 day, since coming back?ba513cec46b0334b
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“…I will.”d4de4ce3b1c74478
Today again, I steeled e50912e33e my heart and told them all:1c8491d61b4b727d
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“I’ll do even better.”25e0c1eed2e9d998
“…”
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“I’ll work harder to live up to your expectations!”e1a8b7d67889993a
I might have tensed 4d225ff70b up too much—my pronunciation slipped a bit.
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The duke gave a 8beeaa6e57 soft chuckle at that.5363b471ef0f8ef4
“You’re already doing more than enough, Belze.”a2a596e6567c3dd6
Pat.c40d37d14b84299b
A large hand gently rested 821dd370c3 atop my fluffy head.26f2e9d10f9782cc
“You’ve brought Joshua this far, made him this healthy. If anything, saying I 779b014817 support you officially isn’t 7f83acf119 even close to enough 143b175391 to repay the miracles 98e16d9fe8 you’ve brought to House bcad1aaa10 Kallios.”7366a0c02bb7cb01
“…”ecc8c770354d5252
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“So don’t feel pressured. Just do as you wish.”2e7b03f8072d653a
“…”
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“Just don’t forget—Kallios will always be behind you.”c6382818ea45c5bd
At those words, something 5d1e3065ef pinched and burned behind d97ef8ee9d my nose.992d6753cc15115e
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“Duke…”ea1ed71569053303
Just as I looked up at him with teary eyes—
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“Adoption is not happening.”cccb011e5839d953
Edwin once again shut everything 70d6b240c9 down with a firm line.008cf050867dfdb8
And just like that, 00e251cd7a the emotional moment shattered 50e6b82678 into pieces.b42207898b48d34f
‘Seriously?! Can you not read the 17e846d2bf room? I already know 67516b83e1 I’m not worthy, b38c245a8e okay?!’
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Burning with frustration, I turned and glared at the one 3dfdc78b99 who’d ruined the mood.751f1c38fad96c4d
“Whoa! These are shoes!”b3e2c69b40dfe83d
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Suddenly, Joshua—who had apparently opened my gift box—held up one 8960c7480d shoe in each hand and b4d61b9f05 shouted joyfully.482170c4f5a542ef
“Sis! What are these?!”0f51cc044888df0f
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“Uh, those are…”24cbd3634d969964
Clink, clatter.49dd83325fa49d6d
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As Joshua bounced 0dd6f53265 around, the jewelry 3931ade8ad hanging all over his body sparkled e67d9caa24 under the light.58dbf1355d9de1ca
Next to all those 604401a643 ridiculously expensive gems, my 92ce148397 gift looked embarrassingly humble.179f97f2f9e7a52a
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Hesitating, I finally mumbled the answer.fbaea4591dd5687f
“They’re sneakers.”d8b84b9634725fd5
“Sneakers?”
Joshua tilted his head, 492adafc46 unfamiliar with the term.
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“Yeah. You’ll be going fb931d4397 outside more now, a518f2a456 right? You can’t hurt your feet. These will hold c7ce827a26 your ankles nice cf756ede30 and firm, even 45374eea03 if you run 364774da60 around all day!”7d12bd4ba3f68a28
“Really?”
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At my explanation, 01cf41c8e6 Joshua immediately kicked off his current 752b7781b2 shoes and slipped 3a034a0dbd into the sneakers 8c52dff929 I’d given him.
Then he started hopping 56290d0d54 around the penguin statue 6262d86d9e nearby.bb49c240dd159e20
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“Whoa! These are super comfy! I’ve never worn shoes 7a3acd71b1 like this before! And the color matches efa61a5625 my hair too!”454db4497cf7fc08
Thankfully, he seemed to 9cfc40bc34 love the sneakers. Beaming with joy, he ran over ea4533846a to me.
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“Thank you, sis! You’re seriously the best!”
Relieved, I let fe97b1a0be out a small, b1f898c96f bashful smile.7cefd561bc8ab9f3
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But just as I started c22bb2dc36 to relax, he suddenly asked—686676bd9c50ab29
“By the way, sis. When’s your birthday?”7bb060d9c6da29d1
“Huh? My birthday…?”6dfb2a8f2850bc8f
“Yeah! We’ve never had a 7bbb56d9bf party for you, right?”a168acc77e5557e7
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The unexpected question caught 5dd113f91e me off guard.93acf2c05dc99afc
Because the truth was—I didn’t have 9fed30eb58 a birthday.471c876053f66e3a
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The orphanage had used my admission date as my birth date, but that wasn’t the abbe604cc8 day I was truly born.6f9282d031d3157f
So in both my past 50a44ab7f7 life and this one, I had never once celebrated a 721309c3d2 birthday.
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“Well, um…”a34f2965bcffb576
I fumbled, unsure how to 9613e2ca24 respond to such a sudden 8dce729116 question—e4fdac35cdbe08e8
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“Belze’s birthday is the Wednesday after next.”fe8e0ed65699be41
A calm voice beside af42a3d163 me answered out of f01567787f nowhere.9c6e47cdabb8d518
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Startled, I turned my head—and 152a0119ba there was Edwin, face expressionless fa47cc2ab5 as always.f267af21ecb56667
“The Wednesday after next?”a9fed70fdd7bee0c
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“Yeah. That’s the day a8a8ed0bda Belze first came 82749d9257 to our house. It’ll be the three-year anniversary.”
My eyes widened.5fc5db14316af3d6
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‘He remembered something like that…?’
I hadn’t even f7b8a91450 realized it myself—that 3fd41d93bf the Wednesday after 744e96df1b next marked my arrival here.8ee9b6d3587791cb
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I’d been far d06a9adbc7 too busy to keep track of 59a2190544 a date like fe9bf98a92 that.dec461c7bfd78f2f
Unlike my flustered self, Edwin b37735a012 calmly addressed his younger brother.
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“She never had a party all this time because she was always focusing on you. So you better get her a66d230204 a proper gift.”197d9b57d430d54d
“Okay! Got it! Just wait, sis! I’m gonna get you the b73d9a2434 most super-duper awesome present ever!”
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“Ah, so it’s already Belze’s birthday soon. I suppose I’ll have 27c67123bb to prepare something too.”903feddff760f7e0
“Wait, so her birthday’s after mine? Does that make me the big brother?”a8e980bbe12db23d
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Joshua tilted his 2630ad5871 head again, still ba8bbee4f1 shaky with numbers.
From Edwin to Joshua to 3b574c344a the duke—they all accepted the 80c35b0455 idea of celebrating my birthday 3c8ac1d567 so naturally, like it had always been that way.5eb2ec55c7967ce8
As if they understood exactly cbe69420be how I’d rejected my orphanage f1f079694f ‘birthday’ deep in my heart.c5b5416a7e47eae7
Joshua, alive and well, c1da92042d running around with joy—so e14f2f7b7d unlike the original.c94ed48ab119a1a2
The duke and Edwin, 89f734ec76 smiling warmly, just like 6abdc4d779 a real family.85b8c926f2018436
And me, dressed f84f6e6dec nicely, standing beside 68b1ac33ae them as if 73c98386f8 I belonged.9122c185b128ecc5
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“Hhrrngh…”b194a0b2a46ecb82
I couldn’t hold it in 474a8afb8d anymore.db07e3256939c985
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“Hwaaaahhhh!”
“W-What?! Why are you crying? Is it ‘cause I said 1f726de6c8 I’m your big brother? Okay, okay! I’ll keep calling you sis!”9f90d639ff889333
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“What did I even say now? Seriously… are you crying again?”9db3b56950e7fcb5
“Hush now, Belze. In House Kallios, no matter 7b6196fc4b what happens—we do not show 90128a097f tears…”560933118e93e48d
It was silly, 523bcc452b and kind of 64d53d9eea embarrassing.cf91d1151831cbfb
But just like that, Joshua’s 8ca5e93049 8th birthday party came to c41fa76eee a close—with my tears marking 1e3e2f550a the finale.abc2355f97dd3260
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TL/N: poor Eddie wants her to be his wife TT Baby belze please understand our eddies’ heart TT